“Greater Love Than This …” (February 2020 Update)
Even though it is very different from the original, we have enjoyed watching the new “Lost in Space” series on Netflix. The storylines have been riveting and full of action. But what we have liked the most was a focus on family relationships and the fact that love changes people (we won’t give you any specific examples – no spoilers!).
There are many theories about the Atonement of Jesus in the history of the church. Most of them have elements of truth to them. The Substitutionary Atonement theory reminds us that Jesus died in our place. He became our substitute! This concept is seen throughout the Bible where a lamb is substituted as a temporary payment for sins. Jesus became one of us so that he could die in our place by being our substitute. “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!”
The Satisfaction Theory teaches us that the wrath of God was satisfied by the death of Jesus in our place. This is seen in many places in the Bible, but it is especially vivid in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus says, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me….” The cup Jesus was speaking about was the cup of God’s wrath toward our sin. On the cross, Jesus drank that cup completely for me and for you so that God’s wrath against us and our sin has been completely satisfied.
The Ransom Theory of the atonement basically teaches that Jesus death paid a “ransom” owed to Satan. Through the sin of man, mankind became the slaves of Satan until someone could pay the price to set them free. This theory focuses on the biblical teachings about redemption – to be bought back from the slave market. While there are some aspects of this theory that are not biblical (eg. God tricking Satan into accepting the death of Jesus as a payment), the ideas of ransom and redemption are clear. Jesus himself said that he came to “give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28) and numerous verses speak about us being redeemed by the blood of a lamb. The Ransom theory reminds us that we have been bought with a price and that we are no longer ours!
There are other theories that make some sense if they are combined with these previous theories. For example, most scholars today emphasize the “Christus Victor Theory” of the atonement as the oldest and most consistent theory of the church. It emphasizes that Jesus death on the cross resulted in defeat of Satan, sin and evil. That’s true. However, without accepting the Satisfaction theory, there would be not to be saved from. Without accepting the Substitution theory, Jesus would not be taking our place. And without the Ransom theory, you would have no redemption.
There is one theory that often poses a problem for evangelicals – the Moral Influence theory. This theory was proposed by medieval theologian Peter Abelard as a reaction against Anselm’s satisfaction theory. Abelard saw God as a God of love not wrath and proposed that the love of God was the reason for the atonement. He said that Jesus did not die to pay for our sins and he did not die to satisfy God’s wrath toward us. He died to show mankind how much God loves them by sending His own son to die on a cross as proof of that love. In his theory, this demonstration of love would “influence” mankind and cause them to return to God. In his theory, there is no penalty for sin (no wrath) and there is no payment for sin (no redemption) and there is no substitution for us (no one to take our place). This clearly contradicts the Bible.
However, in our desire to focus on Jesus’ substitution and satisfaction and redemption for us, we often minimize the love of God in the atonement. In reality, there would be no atonement without the love of God! Listen to just a few verses about the atonement. “But God who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive….” (Ephesians 2:4-5). “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “In love He predestined us for adoption as son…” (Ephesians 1:4-5).
God’s love for us precedes every atonement theory and action. It was His love that set redemption into action. “For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son…” (John 3:16). Without the love of God, we would have no atonement theories to debate. Because, without His love, we would all perish in our sins, rightly experiencing His wrath without a savior to die in our place!
We must never forget the great love of God that purchased our salvation. However, we cannot be like Abelard and ignore the wrath of God and the need for a substitute to die in our place. Without God’s wrath, we have no need for a savior or a substitute or redemption. But, without God’s love for us, we have no redemption at all – no one willing to pay the price of death that we might go free. We have no savior willing to give up his glory in heaven to become a man. And we would have no one willing to “drink the cup” of God’s wrath that we rightly deserved.
In February, we often focus on love as we celebrate Valentine’s Day. But there has never been a love like the love of God for us in redemption. Jesus himself put it best: “Greater love than this has no man than that he would lay his life down for his friends” (John 13:15). And that love not only redeems us – it changes us as well. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14). God’s grace comes out of His love for us. And that love saves us, and redeems us, and changes us. Sometimes, human love can transform people. But no love compares to the love of God for us! Greater love than this that a man would lay down his life for his friends!
Teaching …
I am continuing to improve but it looks like I have a way to go to get back to full health. We had some additional tests this month, including an MRI with contrast, to see what is going on with my heart. In general, the results are positive. They show that I still have some myocarditis but that it is greatly reduced. So I’m still having difficulty with energy and still having to rest multiple times each day. But I am resting much less than a month ago! My cardiologist says I will have some trouble with weakness for 4-6 months. So I need to learn to rest and be patient!
But it is time to start classes again. Right now, I am in the process of working on classes. This month I am starting work on a master’s level class Research and Writing for Biblical Counseling. Students will be submitting projects every week this month. Please be praying that this class will help the students not only to write well, but also to apply what they are learning to their ministries in Biblical Counseling.
Family …
This month, we celebrated Kristina’s 6th birthday. She has grown so much in 6 years. She’s definitely a papa’s girl! We are blessed to have her. She is becoming a very special young lady. I decided to add a few extra pictures of her this month.
Kristina’s 6th birthday party.
Some pictures from her first year.
Both girls continue to grow and do well in school. They are loving dance class and both are enjoying learning in home school. They are both already reading and doing really well with math. They love science and history also. Teaching them at home is also really rewarding for us too.
We have decided to stay in Ukraine this year (2020) even though this would normally be our year to return to the states for a visit. There are number of reasons but mainly we need to stay because Katya’s mother and grandmother are going through the process of applying for immigration to the United States! They are at the interview stage so we really don’t know if they will get immigrant status or not yet. But if they do, then things would move pretty quickly this year and we would need to be here to help them get ready. Please be praying for everything to go smoothly for them. While our plans are still to move back to the states in about 5 years, their moving to the US would make our moving back much easier. So … right now, our plans are to come back to visit next summer (2021). That would mean 3 years between visits to the US. I’m already missing home and my children but I think this is an important time for Katya’s family so we will wait a little longer than normal to visit the states.
We really need a vacation time sometime. I have not had a break (except for being in the hospital) for over a year now. We had planned to travel to Western Ukraine over Christmas break but my health issues prevented this. We are praying about taking a short trip somewhere and we hope we can do this before Spring.
Pray for Ukraine …
Thank you for praying for us and our ministry here in Ukraine. Things in Ukraine continue to improve but we are still involved in a “forgotten” war with Russia in the east. We have friends and students serving in those areas as pastors and chaplains who are continuing to share the gospel even in these difficult times. The rest of Ukraine is fairly peaceful and largely unaffected by the continuing conflict. But we all know that could change at any time.
Thank you for your prayers for me during my times in the hospital and during my recovery. As usual, we are overwhelmed with your love and prayers for us! Thank you for supporting us so that we can continue this essential ministry of training leaders for the church in Ukraine! We are here He set His love upon us and saved us and because the “love of Christ compels us” to be ambassadors for Him here in Ukraine. We do this because of His great love! As you celebrate Valentine’s Day this month, never forget the “greater love” of God that sent us His son to be our substitute and took upon himself the wrath we deserved. What a great redemption! What great love the Father has bestowed on us!
Jim and Katya, Kristina and Nadia
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